Operation backyard coverup
They crop up like weeds all over the city, bewildering gardeners with their unalterable ugliness. They’re awkward, static and devoid of charm. They’re the backyard beasts.
Perhaps it’s a Rube Goldberg-like network of pool equipment or a cumbersome air conditioner. A tar-streaked utility pole or an expanse of chain-link fencing. The challenge is to live in harmony with these immovable monsters of modern existence. The trick is to use plants as visual diversions.
Certain characteristics for camouflage are essential: quick growth to the desired dimensions with little or no trimming needed to maintain that size, dense evergreen foliage for uninterrupted cover, pest resistance, and longevity.
But what masks one kind of eyesore won’t necessarily work for another, so it’s crucial to choose the right plant.
Around air-conditioning or pool and spa equipment, planting space is usually limited. Also, in general, there must be at least 2 feet of space between the equipment and plants so that the machinery can vent and so that access for maintenance is easy. Here, you want shrubs that grow up -- 4 to 6 feet -- but not necessarily out. And, preferably, ones that are thornless and litter-free.
Heavenly bamboo, which is not a true bamboo and therefore not invasive, is a close-to-perfect coverup shrub that tolerates all soils, wet or dry. The only situation it doesn’t like is deep shade, where it succumbs to powdery mildew. Each cane-like stem of lacy foliage caps itself with starry white flowers that ripen into shiny red berries by the holidays. Winter cold snaps induce foliar displays that rival those in New England. Select one of the tall heavenly bamboos, either the species Nandina domestica, which reaches 6 to 8 feet, or one of its 4- to 5-foot offspring. ‘Royal Princess’ has extra-delicate foliage and dependably brilliant fall color. The spring growth of the new ‘Plum Passion’ is absolutely aubergine, changes to rich green by summer, then intensifies to red-purple by year’s end.
No shaping is necessary with heavenly bamboo. Years down the road, you may need to excise a few outer canes to lessen the breadth. Heavenly.
Good old dwarf myrtle (Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’) is another garden standard. It accepts full sun or a little shade. Good drainage, however, and average irrigation are requirements.
Unclipped, this dandy shrub forms an opaque 5-by-4-foot hillock of fragrant and glittering green foliage. (‘Compacta Variegata’, a cultivar with white-edged leaves, catches the light in its own gentle manner.) Dwarf myrtle’s blossoms, like wee ivory fireworks, are sweetly scented. If your style leans toward the formal, occasional shearing will keep this screen flat-topped, straight-sided and square-cornered.
Often, the equipment you want to conceal sits atop solid concrete. Don’t despair. Both Nandina and dwarf myrtle will thrive in large containers. Place them shoulder-to-shoulder for a leafy living wall.
If you share space with the ultimate towering eyesore, a utility pole, you may feel the temptation to plant a big, fast climber, perhaps a psychedelic-blue morning glory (the kind that eats buildings in time) or a bougainvillea. Stop. The phone and power companies don’t take kindly to rambling flora that interfere with their work crews.
Maybe you’ve considered something soaring and needle-thin, such as eugenia or Italian cypress. Another bad idea. The last thing you want is a plant that mimics the pole, because your eye will be drawn directly to the very thing you wish to blot out.
Instead, think masses of foliage that quiver in the wind, flowers, a framework of branches to support the squirrels and birds. Numerous small or medium-sized trees will work, as long you don’t plant them too close to the dreaded pole.
Consider the following two options, one from Down Under and one from just offshore.
Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum) feels at home in limited space, in almost any soil, in sun or light shade. With moderate irrigation, this slim Australian native grows to 20 feet or more, with bundles of glossy emerald-green leaves. Each summer, flaring cream-to-yellow flowers cluster at the branch tips, each one redolent of oranges and honey.
Where drainage is good and the landscape drought-tolerant, fernleaf Catalina ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. aspleniifolius) will conceal that hideous pole in a most exquisite way. This rare Channel Islands native, threatened in habitat by grazing goats and pigs, grows rapidly to 25 to 30 feet and half as wide, slender when young and rounded at maturity. Its dark, precisely cut leaflets provide an arresting backdrop for the tiny white flowers that appear en masse each summer. Add to that the dramatic bark, gray and peeling in thin strips to reveal a layer of cinnamon brown.
Fernleaf Catalina ironwood thrives in sun or part-shade. Look for a very young specimen, preferably a 1-gallon that is not pot-bound. Plant it in the fall and it will grow like gangbusters.
Though it’s nearly impossible to completely conceal something as massive as a utility pole, chain-link fencing can virtually vanish with a spirited vining plant. Almost any rampant climber will bury chain-link lickety-split, but it’s smart to remember that the best-looking plants are ones that don’t get out of control. Many vines don’t know when to stop, tangling and thatching over time, like backyard beaver dams.
Let the span of your chain-linkage influence your selection. Pick a polite climber for a short length of fencing; use a more vigorous one where it can twine and twist to its ultimate magnitude.
The orchid vine (Stigmaphyllon littorale), a large-leafed twiner from the wilds of Brazil, demands a long, strong fence. One plant eventually can engulf 30 feet of chain-link, so generous spacing (20 feet or more) is a must. Each summer, clusters of bright yellow orchid-like flowers dance along the vine’s ropy, far-reaching stems. Orchid vine accepts full sun or a little shade. It prefers ample water, especially inland.
The bower vine (Pandorea jasminoides) is well-behaved and has shiny, intensely green leaves. Large trumpet-shaped flowers gather at the branch tips from late spring through summer. All the pink-flowering forms, including rosea and those with variegated foliage, are impressive. Still, the clear-white blossoms of ‘Alba’ and ‘Lady Di’ seem to illuminate the dark, lavish foliage.
Bower vines of both colors appreciate good soil and average water throughout the warm months. They tolerate sun or shade along the coast. Inland, they’re happiest with shelter from the afternoon sun. Each plant can thread itself through 25 feet of chain-link, so space them 12 to 15 feet apart. A light shearing each fall after flowering will keep it flat against the fence.
For those with a yen for morning glories, there is one that will swiftly obliterate chain-link without later devouring the garage. Calystegia ‘Anacapa Pink’ is a noninvasive cultivar of California’s own island morning glory, another Channel Island native. It does best in full sun, needs little maintenance and flowers through spring and summer. It’s also extremely drought-tolerant.
Plant a single ‘Anacapa Pink’ every 10 feet along that ratty chain-link, and you’ll soon forget the unsightly beast was ever there.
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More ideas on how to improve your view
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The perfect coverup plant will complement your style and suit your garden’s conditions. One of these additional choices may be best for your backyard:
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For bulky equipment
‘Little Ollie’ olive (Olea europaea ‘Little Ollie’) -- A shrubby dwarf with a narrow upright habit and small gray leaves. Full sun preferred; drought-tolerant.
Upright rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Tuscan Blue’ and ‘Blue Spires’) -- Rosemary with small but outstanding blue flowers and tiny, kitchen-worthy leaves. Sun or very light shade; drought-tolerant once established.
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For utility poles
Brisbane box (Lophostemon confertus, a.k.a. Tristania conferta) -- A neat eucalyptus cousin with flaking bark, leathery leaves and white summer flowers. Fast growth to 30 feet or more. Regular water.
For more, read Robert Smaus’ “The Power Pole Cover-Up: Episodes One, Two and Three” in his book “Answers for California Gardeners” (Los Angeles Times, 2002).
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For chain-link fencing
Pink powder puff (Calliandra haematocephala) -- A spreading, sun-loving shrub, with coppery new foliage and watermelon-hued flowers fall through spring. Easily trained to grow flat. Regular water.
Lavender trumpet vine (Clytostoma callistegioides ) -- An adaptable climber for shade or sun, with pea-like tendrils, glossy deep-green foliage and pale purple flowers spring into summer. Average water.
